This is an unofficial announcement of Commission Action.
Release of the full text of a Commission order
constitutes official action.
See MCI v. FCC. 516 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 18, 2001

NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
John Winston (202) 418-7450

ENFORCEMENT BUREAU PROPOSES $94,500 FINE AGAINST SBC
FOR VIOLATIONS OF LOCAL COMPETITION RULE

Washington, DC - Today, the Enforcement Bureau of the Federal
Communications Commission announced that it has proposed a $94,500 fine
against SBC Communications, Inc. (SBC) for apparently violating a
Commission collocation rule, and conditions that the Commission imposed
pursuant to its approval of the merger application of SBC and Ameritech
Corp.

The Commission's collocation rules require incumbent telephone
companies to allow competing telephone companies to place equipment in
the incumbents' offices. One such rule requires the incumbents to
promptly post notices of all incumbent owned sites that have run out of
collocation space. The purpose of this rule is to ensure that
competitors do not waste time and resources applying for collocation
space where none exists. An independent audit of SBC's compliance with
the Commission's collocation posting rules uncovered apparent
violations. The information provided to the Enforcement Bureau,
contained in the audit and supplied by SBC, revealed that SBC
apparently violated the posting rule in numerous instances. In
proposing a $94,500 fine, the Enforcement Bureau noted the importance
of the local competition rules.